Introduction
A S KHANNA, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
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Corrosion is a natural process and many metals and alloys used in industrial
applications need protection in order to minimize or prevent corrosion.
There are various methods of corrosion control which include better design,
choice of better materials, protection by inhibitors, cathodic and anodic
protection, and protection by coatings. Among these, coating is the simplest
and most widely used method.
Steel is used all over the globe in a huge number of applications. Steel,
however, is a very reactive material even in normal environmental condi-
tions, corroding in moist air. It needs protection wherever it is used. Whether
it is a steel structure, steel frame, steel tank, overhead steel pipe or under-
ground cross-country pipeline, all need corrosion protection. The most
common method to protect steel from corrosion is paint coatings.
A paint coating is basically a polymer resin, dispersed in a solvent, modi-
colour, corrosion protection and other important properties. The nature of
the coating revolves round the type of resin that is used, whether alkyd,
epoxy, urethane, vinyl or polyester. High-performance properties can be
achieved by adding different kinds of pigments, which give not only colour
and opacity but also strength, lower permeability and, in turn, longer life.
High performance can also be achieved by using solventless systems which
not only give higher thickness per coat but also are environmentally friendly
because of their low volatile organic content (VOC).
Any discussion of coating is incomplete unless it considers surface prepa-
ration and paint application. Surface preparation is a key aspect of paint
coatings: any mistake at this stage will compromise the coating. It is advis-
able to carry out proper surface preparation by following a suitable stan-
tolerant coatings able to cope with partially cleaned surfaces, are important
fied by additives to achieve specific properties and pigments for providing
dard and measuring its anchor profile. New paint formulations or surface
requirements for maintenance of offshore structures, chemical plants, refin-
eries and power plants where surface cleaning may be difficult.
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